(UNDATED) - The DNR will be sharing information about white-tailed deer with a hunting group that is organizing a pilot program aimed at gathering public input for consideration in future deer management decisions.

The group - Indiana White-tailed Deer Herd Management (IWDHM) - is putting together county deer advisory councils, or CDACs, in a handful of counties. The pilot program is modeled after one that operates in Wisconsin.

In addition to local hunters, CDACs are expected to include representation from agriculture, forestry, local government, tourism, transportation, non-consumptive users, and a disease monitoring organization.

The DNR will provide the CDACs with information the agency already collects on an annual basis, including harvest data, crop depredation damage, forest damage, and deer-vehicle collision statistics.

CDAC meetings will gather public input on deer population goals and antlerless quotas for that county and share it with the DNR.

The first meeting will be the Wabash County CDAC at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at Bass and Bucks Inc., 4890 West Millcreek Pike, Wabash, IN 46992.

The Howard County CDAC will meet at 9 a.m. March 4 at Rodgers Pavilion, Highland Park, 902 West Deffenbaugh St., Kokomo, IN, 46902.

The Huntington County CDAC will meet at 9 a.m. March 25 at the Andrews Lions Club, 365 Leedy Lane, Andrews, IN, 46702.